H.R. 9097: American Manufacturing Revitalization Exchange Program Act of 2026

This bill would create a new, temporary federal exchange program aimed at improving U.S. manufacturing skills by sending a limited number of Americans to train in allied countries.

What the program would be

The bill establishes the American Manufacturing Revitalization Exchange Program, run by the State Department’s educational and cultural affairs office. Its goal is to help build manufacturing knowledge, training, and expertise in the United States by placing participants with manufacturing companies, institutions, or sectors in allied nations.

Who could participate

The program would be limited to no more than 10 participants per year. Participants would have to:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Have manufacturing or apprenticeship experience, or be enrolled in a relevant trade school, vocational school, or college program with the needed prerequisite training
• Show language proficiency for the host country, or have a plan to gain it

When choosing participants, the government could also consider experience in management, training, higher education, or labor organization programs.

Where participants would go and what they would do

Participants would be placed in approved manufacturing sectors, institutions, or companies in allied countries. The bill specifically mentions areas such as:

• Robotics
• Semiconductors
• Aeronautics and space-related manufacturing
• Additive manufacturing
• Shipbuilding
• Energy and mining
• Automotive manufacturing
• Other sectors the government identifies as strategically important

Participants would take part in pre-travel orientation, hands-on training, research projects, workshops, conferences, and other professional development activities. They would also be expected to build professional networks, share knowledge, and act as a cultural and workforce representative of the United States while abroad.

Funding and support

The program would provide each participant a stipend meant to cover reasonable costs, which may include:

• Housing, food, and local transportation
• Training materials and digital tools
• Visa and immigration fees
• Travel to and from the host country
• Health care for the participant and dependents
• Other approved program-related expenses

What happens after the exchange

The bill requires the government to document what participants learn and share that information with U.S. manufacturing and training organizations when they return. It also encourages participants to receive industry-recognized credentials or course credit where possible.

Reporting and oversight

The State Department would have to report to Congress after the first group finishes the program and then every year after that. The reports would cover:

• Who participated and where they came from
• What training or placements they received
• What they learned
• The costs of the program
• How effective the program was
• Suggestions for improving it
• Whether participants went on to jobs or further training afterward

Other provisions

The bill encourages the government to work with allied nations, corporations, and other organizations to support the program. It also directs the Assistant Secretary to study how the program could be expanded and sustained in the future.

Duration

The program would be temporary. The entire act and the exchange program would expire two years after enactment unless renewed by Congress.

Relevant Companies

• None found